Draft:Worldview International Foundation



Worldview International Foundation
AbbreviationWIF
FormationEstablished in 1979
FounderDr. Arne Fjortoft
TypeNon-profit Organization
HeadquartersBangkok, Thailand
ServicesBlue Carbon and Mangrove Restoration
StaffApproximately 380, and over 3.000 seasonal planters (2024)
Websitehttps://wif.website/about-us/our-team/

Worldview International Foundation (WIF) is a non-profit organization that develops blue carbon projects focusing on mangrove restoration. These projects, rated by BeZero, produce blue carbon credits and are funded through private investments. WIF emphasizes community development, directing proceeds from its projects into supporting infrastructure, education, and sustainable livelihoods of local communities in their project areas. WIF projects adhere to VERRA certification standards and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.[1]

History

edit

WIF was founded in 1979 by Dr. Arne Fjortoft, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, however it is currently headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. WIF holds offices in Myanmar, Malaysia, New York, USA, and an international board of trustees in Oslo, Norway.[2] Over the decades following its inception, WIF has completed more than 680 projects across 26 countries,[3] focusing on issues such as health, agriculture, food security, education, democracy, and human rights. At present, Kim Noguera Gabrielli serves as WIF's Chief Executive Officer,[4] following his roles as CEO of UN Global Compact Norway and Deputy Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF Norway.

In 2012, WIF shifted its focus to mangrove restoration and blue carbon projects, beginning with the establishment of the Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park in Myanmar.[5] The project was developed in collaboration with Pathein University, Myeik University, and Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry.[6] This project facilitated WIF’s entry into the Voluntary Carbon Market. Today, WIF continues its work in environmental restoration and community development and manages 6 Verra-verified projects.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Many of these projects have helped to restore the mangrove ecosystems near Myanmar's Ayeryarwady Region,[13][14] which had been threatened to be completely wiped out just a decade ago.[15] Projects pioneered by WIF, have also been involved in increasing community participation in these projects, ensuring the long-term sustainability of mangrove restoration projects as well as building livelihoods.

Areas of work

edit

Mangrove Restoration and Blue Carbon Credits

edit

WIF focuses on restoring mangrove forests, integral to blue carbon ecosystems, due to their ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon in coastal environments. These restoration projects contribute to climate change mitigation and generate blue carbon credit, whose sales further finance environmental and social initiatives.[16] In 2022, WIF’s project VCS ID 1764 received an AA rating from BeZero Carbon,[17] an independent rating agency that assesses the quality and impact of carbon credits.

Sustainable Development of Local Communities

edit

In addition to environmental restoration, WIF supports the livelihoods of coastal communities in its project areas. 50% of net profits from the sale of blue carbon credits are allocated to sustainable development projects,[18] including microfinancing, infrastructure development, and education initiatives.[19] These efforts are designed to align with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on enhancing local economies, improving access to education and healthcare, and fostering sustainable livelihoods. Through these initiatives, WIF contributes to community resilience while promoting environmental sustainability.[20]

Current projects

edit

These 6 projects carried out WIF are VERRA-verified.

  • VCS ID 1764 - More than 2200 Hectares, 184.006 estimated annual emission reductions.
  • VCS ID 2088 - 4500 Hectares, 403.831 estimated annual emission reductions.
  • VCS ID 2792 - 1003 Hectares, 70.285 estimated annual emission reductions.
  • VCS ID 3730 - 1500 Hectares, 91.861 estimated annual emission reductions.
  • VCS ID 3818[21] - 12000 Hectares, 59.130 estimated annual emission reductions.
  • VCS ID 5050 - 7000 Hectares, 196.274 estimated annual emission reductions.

See Also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Worldview International Foundation | UIA Yearbook Profile | Union of International Associations". uia.org. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  2. ^ Ltd, Carbon Neutral Royalty. "CARBON NEUTRAL ROYALTY ANNOUNCES LANDMARK GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WITH WORLDVIEW INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  3. ^ "Is the Carbon Credit Market Dead?". www.streetwisereports.com. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  4. ^ "ACS Brings Together Leaders, Experts at COP16 on best practices for addressing Coastal Erosion in the Caribbean". Caribbean News Service. 2024-11-01. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  5. ^ Schregenberger, Katrin (2018-05-02). "Special drones and a crypto-currency: Mangrove restoration goes high-tech". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  6. ^ "Sprouting Mangroves Restore Hopes in Coastal Myanmar". www.globalissues.org. 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  7. ^ "Verra Search Page". registry.verra.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  8. ^ "Verra Search Page". registry.verra.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  9. ^ "Verra Search Page". registry.verra.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  10. ^ "Verra Search Page". registry.verra.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  11. ^ "Verra Search Page". registry.verra.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  12. ^ "Verra Search Page". registry.verra.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  13. ^ "Myanmar: Saving the mangroves | PreventionWeb". www.preventionweb.net. 2016-08-02. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  14. ^ Aung, San Yamin (May 15, 2014). "Mangrove Project Will See 10,000 Trees Planted in Pathein". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  15. ^ Lewis, Simon (4 December 2013). "Mangroves in the Irrawaddy Delta Could Be Gone in a 'Few Decades'". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Tree-Planting Drone Can Plant 100,000 Trees in One Day". Irish Tech News. 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  17. ^ "Publicly Available Carbon Ratings". BeZero Carbon. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  18. ^ Schregenberger, Katrin (2018-05-02). "Special drones and a crypto-currency: Mangrove restoration goes high-tech". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
  19. ^ "Worldview International Foundation – Equator Initiative". Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  20. ^ Andrews, Pip (2024-04-19). "The iQFOiL Class: Environmental Action in Sport". Starboard Blue. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  21. ^ Peters, Adele (4 October 2019). "These tree-planting drones are firing seed missiles to restore the world's forests". Fast Company. Retrieved 16 November 2024.